his_royal_sexiness's forum posts 66

I don't have any experience with that particular item, but I did have the Boss GT-6 for many years. My reasoning behind using something like this is if you don't have money to spend on a lot of effects, this gives you a bunch of effects at your finger tips. You can use it as a testing platform as well to see what type of effects you like. For example, you can test its flanger mode and then decide that flangers aren't your style, so you don't need to spend money on a fancy flanger pedal. It might not sound as great as a newer pedal, but at least you have a sample.

Another thing that could be done is having this as a set up in a room for quick practice. In my case, my guitars are upstairs, but all of my amps are in the garage. So when I want to practice, I have to grab a guitar and head down. If I still had my Boss GT-6 (or something nicer like a Strymon Iridium or HX Stomp), I could keep it next to my guitars and do some headphone practice without having to go to another room.

So there are always some advantages to things like this, even if there are better items.

Whoa, some cool designs there. The Explorer is particularly cool to me. I don't have any really crazy ideas like this, but it's got me inspired to try and think of some. My dad's idea was to have a guitar that looked like a Harley Davidson. I don't know how the balance on that would work, but he doesn't play, so that doesn't really matter. I told him if he really wanted, he could get a custom paint job on a guitar of a Harley, but that's not quite the same.

That sounds really cool and like a lot of fun. I've heard of the black hole symmetry, but hadn't checked it out. Now you have me interested. If I were you to make it even crazier, I'd play through the Ibanez AK95. I'd see what kind of feedback you can get and use that as yet another effect. Enjoy the experimentation.

Thanks for the share! I'm constantly listening to all kinds of guitar and music podcasts. I need more things to listen to.

(Back in high school my wishlist was on the back of my notebook together with a list of possible band names lol)

I’m a grown man with no friends that want to play music with me, and I still keep a running list of possible band names in my phone haha.

Well I do tend to get some things online. Like I recently bought guitar picks from a company called Honey Picks because I wanted to try them out. I also got the fat guy little coat fuzz from Thirty7 FX. He’s an independent builder out of Massachusetts. So it’s usually unique items that I figure my local store will never have. That’s a motivator for me.

I have only used Ernie Balls on my electric guitars (other than the strings that a guitar comes with and I haven't changed). Although the last time I went string shopping, I bought a bunch of D'Addarios that I'm going to try next time I restring. I'll let you know if my mind is changed or if I'll go back to Ernie Ball like usual. I may order some strings from Stringjoy though next round just to try them out. I have heard great things, and I don't mind paying a bit extra if they're worth it.

My wishlist is really just a bunch of things I really wish to some day own. I'll probably never get around to owning most of it, but I do like having a place where I can go back as a reminder of what I had my eye on. I have an excel spreadsheet that I haven't moved everything over from but I do like keeping a wishlist on here as well so that I can have a visual reminder of what everything is and quick links.

I haven't made any purchases through Equipboard yet, but I do like the suggestion of getting an alert if something goes on sale. I typically buy things from my local music store to support local business (and they have been so great to me, my latest guitar was actually one I got through winning a contest they were having) and they obviously can't carry everything I would dream about owning. So even though, my next big purchase will probably be from my local store, it would be good to be aware of discounts on other gear I'm thinking about. This way I can compare and contrast different pieces of equipment available to me and make a decision.

I say I would never get another Gibson again. My first one was my dad’s, but I’ll never say never. If something really jumps out at me, I could see pulling the trigger. I have a long list of things I want first though. Namely getting a custom made Novo or Kauer guitar first.

I would choose to go with the Boss AC-3 and Radial ABY splitter box. I wouldn't want to mess with one of my guitars and not be able to go back. It probably wouldn't mess up your tonal properties too much, but you never know. I would hate to have something happen or, if it doesn't come out right and then you have to keep spending more money or time. It seems like an expensive and risky operation.

Very cool. Make sure to send us the pics when it is done.

Thank you for calling me Sire. Not enough people follow true etiquette. It is good to see there are still people of honor.

I figured you’d be getting another guitar. No one can have just one haha. Strat or tele is a good choice. They’re both very versatile. Some people think a tele is less so, but they’re both great. I don’t own a tele, so a t-style will probably be the next on my list whenever I get another guitar.

Best of luck to you in building your rig.

That's a sweet rig. I don't see anything missing. You have a good blend of everything and the multi-effects unit should probably round out anything you are. The only thing I would recommend is getting another guitar with different pickups like single coils so you can get some brighter tones going if you need them. Even then, that's not necessary, just a luxury.

Wow, that is really intense. That is unfortunate you have to go through such hardships though. I wish you the best of luck in health and in life.

I've had my eye on Friedman amps for a while now. I haven't been able to get my hands on one yet, but they come highly recommended, and the reviews are really good online. In particular, the JJ Junior might be what you're looking for. It has two channels like their Runt 20, but it also has a switch called the JBE to get even more gain. You should be able to play some heavy stuff, and the amp works well with pedals, so you can put even more drives if you're looking to get really heavy. Even though it is only a 20 Watt amp, they say it is definitely loud enough for gigging. This is based off of their 100W Jerry Cantrell amp if you want to go that route as well, if you don't trust 20W.

Sorry, I didn't realize I posted the wrong video about building your own. That may have led to the confusion. That's very unfortunate about your nerve damage. Maybe you have a friend or know a local person who can build it for you then to keep your hands safe. And I know this isn't as cool an option, but have you considered getting a nice stage stool and sitting while playing? You can get stools for much cheaper, and it would take care of your body. I've even seen these wedge like things you can put on your lap so it keeps the neck tilted up too, so you wouldn't even have to worry about holding the guitar up in position.

I hope you're able to find something that works for you. Most things I see online are around $300, but I did find this https://carlingfordmusic.com.au/xtreme-gs653-performer-guitar-stand. I've never heard of this company, but they sell one for really cheap. However, I did estimated shipping to where I live, and it is about $150, so in the end that would only save about $60. In that case, I'd probably just get something from a company I know and trust.

If you're a handy person, there are videos online on building your own stand like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soieSyLG0sQ.

Best of luck to you in your search.

Yeah, I'm going to switch back to 12s on acoustic when I use up my last few packs of 11s. I think at the time I switched again and bought a bunch of 11s, I was using 13s before that, and they were feeling a little tough, and the 11s felt like such a relief. Now I'll split the difference again.

For electrics, I've only used Ernie Ball Super Slinky (9-42) on Fender-scale length guitars and Regular Slinky (10-46) on Gibson-scale length guitars. Though I recently won the Know Your Gear/Stew Mac contest for the ultimate restring toolbox, so I was inspired to try something different and got D'Addario EXL110+ (10.5-48) and EXL116 (11-52). Figured I'll try something new since the very first new pack of strings I got when I was 11 years old were Ernie Ball, and I liked the way they sounded so I never tried anything else. I'm still waiting for my toolkit to come in before I go through the string changes so we'll see how that goes. I may also order a pack of Stringjoys in the future to see how that goes, but that might be a while since I have these new packs and still plenty of pack up EBs.

For acoustics, I was the opposite and would try all kinds of different strings. Basically anything and everything I could get my hands on. I've gone through all the sizes between 10s to 14s from all kinds of brands. The ones I'm currently using are Martin Acoustic SP Custom Light (11-52).

I signed up for Fender Play last year when they offered the free 3 months, and I loved it enough to sign up for another year. I'm not a beginner (I got my first guitar probably 25 years ago), but I'm self taught and have bad habits, so I actually went all the way through starting with level 1, and they taught me things I wish I would've known all along. I do find myself slipping back into my old ways at times because I don't always focus on their lessons, but it's nice to have access to them and go back whenever I need. There may be better services out there that you can tailor to your specific needs, or you can find one where you get direct communications with someone so you can get better help, but overall, I liked my Fender Play experience.

Another plus of Fender Play is that if you practice at least 3 days a week, you're entered into a free giveaway each week where you can get a Player series guitar/ bass, California series acoustic, or Mustang series amp. I've never owned a tele, and my brother took all the bass guitars when he moved away a couple years ago, so I'm torn on what I would get if I ever did win the weekly giveaway.

Oh man, best of you luck to you and your health and the health of your guitar. I hope that it is able to be repaired, but more importantly that you're okay. Take care.

The feline pedal of choice - Rat distortion.

Put a little Lucky Cat delay from JHS on there too.

I'm sure the cat's favorite songs to practice are:

Cat Scratch Fever - Ted Nugent Phenomenal Cat – The Kinks Hell Cat – Scorpions Year Of The Cat – Al Stewart

Really, cool. Thank you for sharing.

I haven't had any personal experience with Harley Benton, but they seem to be good products for their price. I don't remember where I saw it, but they were selling a speaker cabinet with a high-quality speaker that actually cost more than the cabinet itself. There have been many videos showing Harley Bentons, and they typically have little issues, but I think that's to be expected at such a low price. I'm sure you can get a great setup put on it though to fix up any issues.

That's a great question about the ethical treatment of their employees. That is something I should think about more as well. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find information on the shops that build them.

If you do get one, make sure to let us know what you think.

As an update to my quest for the perfect pick for me, I had been settling into the 1mm and 1.14mm Dunlop Tortexs, but I wanted to try something larger and had been hearing great things about Honey Picks. They're similar to Gravity Picks, and I'd rather support the smaller venture since it's one guy and his brother out of North Carolina. I got three acrylic Honey Picks — two in size 1.5mm and one in 3mm. I was a little worried at first because I have some 1.25mm D'Addario celluloid picks, and I can play them, but don't love them. They feel a bit stiff.

But my worries have gone away forever with these larger picks. Honey Picks are killer. I'm kicking myself for having spent so much time, money and brain power on other picks when I could have been playing these this past year of exploration. They play super smooth, have a great sound and just feel awesome. It feels more natural than I thought it would. I mean the 3mm is literally three times thicker than my usual pick, but feels so comfortable. I believe my quest has ended. I've only had the picks for a couple of days, so I'll update you guys (if you're interested) if they wear away too quickly or if something that would make me change my mind, but I think this will be my pick of choice for the foreseeable future.

Now, I'll be spending extra brain power looking at the different sizes and shapes for the next time I need to order picks haha. He offers many different shapes, and I want to try them all. Anyway, if you want to check them out here is the link https://www.etsy.com/shop/HoneyPicksStore. Rick is a nice guy. I bothered him with a bunch of questions before ordering, and he responded quickly and thoroughly. And the shipping also came in two days before it's expected arrival, which was a nice bonus.

Yeah, I got a few of the Dunlop Tortex. I do like the .73. That is the smallest pick I would go. I completely hear you about the playing a sheet of paper. I have some Gibson thins (not sure what size they are), and I can't stand them really. I'm using them on my acoustic guitar until they run out. I'm a weirdo who likes to use like only one pen until it is completely out of ink, so that carries over a bit to guitar picks as well haha.

Looks like she is playing a Fender Acoustasonic Stratocaster

I would think most bands push tube amps hard. But there is definitely many people switching over to modeling. Based on the bands you like, Joe Duplantier from Gojira has gone plug-in style https://neuraldsp.com/plugins/archetype-gojira.

I think you can build it either way, so you can go with what feels best to you. There are advantages and disadvantages to everything.

Congrats on the purchases! The koi fish looks sweet. I hope that you get endless enjoyment out of these.

Very good points about resale. I'm kind of a hoarder. I've only gotten rid of one guitar and the processor. Both of them I gave to my brother as a gift after he moved out of the state and no longer had a working electric guitar. Everything else, I still have. But it's good to think about just in case I ever do have to sell.

but I'm drinking beer and beating up my kid in super smash bros, so what do I know today?

That sounds like a great way to spend a Wednesday. Enjoy a beer for me.

You make a good point. The technology always does seem to get better each year. I don't really see it as a stop gap though. The way I termed it may have come out wrong. I can save up for and have both. But if I bought the IR, I probably would wait to get the amp for another year or two after. Even once I got the amp, I'm sure I would still use the IR a lot. I mean I used the old Boss Gt-6 processor that I got back in 2000 or whenever it was until last year and that thing was as digital sounding as it gets haha.

Haha, no problem. I understand how it goes. The captor x looks really cool. I watched some videos on it, but yeah, not really what I need this moment. Whenever I do get a tube amp and want to start recording things, I will definitely keep it in mind. It has really good reviews.

I have heard of that, but I hadn't looked into it at all. I'll check it out.

I would love to get a real tube amp, but there are a few things keeping me from getting one now (cost, we're planning on moving, space, etc.) but the biggest factor being that I can't play loud since I have shared walls. Most of the time I practice, I use headphones through my Marshall AVT150H. It's a good amp and has lasted me many years, but I like the idea of the Strymon Iridium giving me different tube amps and cab sounds, and they sound great to me from videos I've seen online. It has the headphone jack so I can continue practicing but can also easily pick it up and practice in other rooms without having to move my amp. I'm pretty sold on it.

Why I'm asking for your help is do you recommend I hold off until we've moved to a new house and keep saving to get a real tube amp or spend now and enjoy? $400 (plus another $40 for CA sales tax) isn't a ton of money, but it isn't something to laugh at either. It could be a nice chunk out of a tube amp payment. We're not planning on moving for at least another year, so if I wait, it'll be at least a year before I could get a tube amp. Most likely though, even longer since moving is expensive and I'd need to make sure I have funds for that as well.

Another thing I need to consider is there are times where I get sick of wearing headphones and I do play with the amp turned up a bit (damn the neighbors haha). I may be missing something but it looks like I would need to get either monitors or powered cabs or something else to be able to play out loud with the iridium. So that's more money I would need to spend if I want to take the headphones off or if I want to play for people.

What would you do in my shoes? Anyone with an iridium have any suggestions?

Thanks

I hadn't heard of them, but they look good. If I ever get my hands on some, I'll let you know.

This has been my favorite thread so far haha.

every time I read that user name I'm like E flat E flat E flat E flat..... waiting for B flat!

Hahahaha, I literally laughed out loud

The puns are amazing haha. I can't even teach my cats to stay in the room when I play guitar let alone have them try to play. Best of luck in figuring it out. I would go with anything you don't mind getting all scratched up.

Very cool for a new feature. I'm looking forward to seeing what people recommend.